The research and development leading to the subject matter disclosed herein was not federally sponsored.
This invention generally relates to a control that de-energizes a device in response to an external signal so that the user can sense the signal.
An occupant of a building often wants or needs to become aware if certain conditions exist. A simple and obvious example of such a condition is an incoming telephone call. However, there are many other such conditions, of which the ringing of a doorbell, the sound of smoke or fire alarms, the activation of a security system and the sound or movement of small children or intruders are just a few.
The existence of these conditions can be missed for any of many reasons. For example, just about everyone has missed a telephone call at one time or another because extraneous environmental noise prevented the phone""s ring from being heard. Noise generated by the operation of common household appliances such hair dryers, vacuum cleaners, carpet shampooing machines, food mixers, blenders, etc. often prevents a phone ring from being heard by someone in the vicinity of the appliance. Power equipment such as grinders, saws, sanders, shop vacuums, etc. are the typical culprits when a phone ring can""t be heard in a garage or workshop.
Similarly, the condition could be missed because the occupant is simply too far away or preoccupied to sense it. For example, a person may be in a remote portion or outside of a building where a doorbell, telephone ring or baby""s cry cannot be heard. In some instances, the apparatus that produces the condition may be temporarily disabled, as is the case in which a telephone ringer is muted so as to prevent disturbing a specific occupant of a building.
Thus, there are many instances in which it would be desirable to provide an alternative means by which the existence of certain conditions could be brought to the attention of an occupant of a building.
One way to avoid such problems is to provide some sort of supplemental cue. For example, a technique that is commonly used to indicate the occurrence of an incoming telephone call in noisy environments (and in home and work areas where people who do not hear well are present) is to provide a supplemental visual cue such as a flashing light. While this approach is well suited for many applications, it is not a practical solution for many home and shop environments because a person""s attention may be directed away from the visual cue. For example, when working with a power tool in a shop, the operator""s visual attention will likely be focused on the tool and away from any visual light signal. Moreover, systems that provide supplemental visual cues tend to be inflexible, in the sense that the visual cue is both specific to a unique condition and limited to a specific location (i.e., the immediate vicinity of the light that provides the visual cue). For example, an annunciator light for a telephone is usually incorporated into the telephone set. Thus, the supplementary visual cue is not easily adapted to respond to more than one specific condition or to provide a supplementary cue at more than one specific location.
It would be desirable to provide an inexpensive, versatile and effective means by which the existence of certain predetermined conditions can be brought to the attention of an occupant of a building or surrounding property.
In one aspect, this invention is an apparatus comprising
(a) a transmitter for sending a signal directly or indirectly to a switchable power receptacle in response to the occurrence of a predetermined awareness condition, said transmitter including at least one of (i) sensing means for sensing the occurrence of at least one predetermined awareness condition or (ii) input means for receiving an input from such a sensing means and
(b) at least one remote switchable power receptacle that includes (i) outlet means for receiving an electrical supply line for an electrically powered device, (ii) connection means for connecting said receptacle to an electrical power supply, said connection means being in electrical communication with said outlet means though (iii) switch means having an xe2x80x9conxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9coffxe2x80x9d position such that electrical power is supplied to said outlet means when said switch is in an xe2x80x9conxe2x80x9d position and electrical power to said outlet means is interrupted when said switch is in an xe2x80x9coffxe2x80x9d position, and (iv) receiving means for receiving said signal directly or indirectly from said transmitter and operating said switch in response to said signal.
In a second aspect, this invention is a switchable power receptacle that operates in response to a signal from a remote transmitter that indicates the existence of an awareness condition, the receptacle comprising (i) outlet means for receiving an electrical supply line for an electrically powered device, (ii) connection means for connecting said receptacle to an electrical power supply, said connection means being in electrical communication with said outlet means though (iii) switch means having an xe2x80x9conxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9coffxe2x80x9d position such that electrical power is supplied to said outlet means when said switch is in an xe2x80x9conxe2x80x9d position and electrical power to said outlet means is interrupted when said switch is in an xe2x80x9coffxe2x80x9d position, and (iv) receiving means for receiving a signal directly or indirectly from said transmitter and operating said switch in response to said signal.
The invention of the first two aspects operates by detecting one or more prespecified conditions, communicating to the switchable power receptacle that such a condition has occurred and, in response, switching the power receptacle to an xe2x80x9coffxe2x80x9d position. This interrupts power to any electrical device that is plugged into the power receptacle.
Thus, in another aspect, this invention is a method that comprises (1) detecting the occurrence of a predetermined awareness condition, (2) transmitting a signal to a switchable power receptacle in response to the occurrence of the predetermined awareness condition and (3) interrupting power supplied through said switchable power receptacle to an electrically powered device attached to the switchable power receptacle in response to the signal.
The interruption of power to an electrical device plugged into the power receptacle will of course deactivate the device. This deactivation provides a supplementary cue indicating the existence of an awareness condition, although if the power receptacle is capable of being switched off in response to more than one awareness condition, the deactivation may not directly identify which of several possible awareness conditions has occurred. However, in many cases, deactivating the electrical device has the effect of eliminating noise or other stimuli the device creates, enabling one to perceive and identify the awareness condition directly. A common example of this is the case where the awareness condition is a ringing telephone. Deactivation of a noisy electrical device will often enable the ring to be heard and identified. In other embodiments, the switchable power receptacle and/or transmitter can contain optional components that permit direct identification of the particular awareness condition, as described more fully below.
This invention provides other significant advantages. The switchable power receptacle can be designed to replace common household and office electrical receptacles. It can take the form of an adapter through which the power line of an electrical device is connected with an ordinary electrical receptacle. In either embodiment, the switchable power receptacle is readily located where its benefits are desired. Multiple switchable power receptacles can be used so that the occurrence of the awareness condition can be indicated at multiple locations within or without a building. In these preferred embodiments, the invention can be used in conjunction with a large variety of electrical devices, because the electrical device will not need modification or special circuitry to be deactivated in response to the occurrence of an awareness condition.
In a fourth aspect, this invention is an apparatus for shutting down an internal combustion engine upon detection of a predetermined awareness condition, wherein the internal combustion engine includes an ignition system and a fuel-supply system, comprising:
(a) a transmitter for sending a signal directly or indirectly to a switchable power receptacle in response to the occurrence of said predetermined awareness condition, said transmitter including at least one of (i) sensing means for sensing the occurrence of at least one predetermined awareness condition and (ii) input means for receiving an input from such a sensing means and
(b) a shutdown module comprising (1)(a) a switch that is coupled to said ignition system and/or (1)(b) a valve that controls a flow of fuel for the said internal combustion engine, said shutdown module being switchable between a normal operation mode and a shutdown mode in which operation of the internal combustion engine is disabled, by actuating said one of the switch and the valve; and (2) receiving means for receiving said signal directly or indirectly from said transmitter and operating said switch or valve to effect said shutdown mode in response to said signal.
This fourth aspect of the invention permits the deactivation of an internal combustion engine in response to a predetermined awareness condition. A fifth aspect of the invention is a method that comprises (1) detecting the occurrence of a predetermined awareness condition, (2) transmitting a signal to a shutdown module on an internal combustion engine in response to the occurrence of the predetermined awareness condition, (3) operating at least one of 1)(a) a switch that is coupled to said ignition system and/or (1)(b) a valve that controls a flow of fuel for the said internal combustion engine to stop the internal combustion engine in response to said transmitted signal.